Museum of Art and Photography Bengaluru exhibition examines colonial violence in botanical art

The Museum of Art and Photography in Bengaluru is showcasing 'Paper Gardens: Art Botany and Empire,' an exhibition curated by Shrey Maurya that delves into the colonial fascination with botanical art. Among the displayed items are hand-coloured lithographs, such as Walter Hood Fitch's 1849 depiction of Rhododendron campbelliae and 1855's Garcinia mangostana. The collection illustrates British botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker, who was commissioned in 1847 by Kew and the East India Company, as he receives rhododendrons from local women. The exhibition critiques colonial naming conventions and features the seventeenth-century Hortus Malabaricus. It also emphasizes Bengaluru's legacy as a garden city, including Lalbagh garden, and will be open until 5 July, aiming to acknowledge the roles of Indian artists and botanists.